Outdoor businesses are asking the governor to not submit a proposal to the Department of Agriculture, which many recreation enthusiasts believe would open the door to new road development in Utah's six national forests.

"They are the last pristine recreation acres in the country," said Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the Outdoor Industry Association, based in Boulder, Colo., whose members make up 60 percent of the OR show's display space. "We want to make sure that the great recreation gems that are in those areas are protected and preserved in their current state for future generations."

According to a new study by OIA, Utah's outdoor industry generates $4.6 billion annually in retail sales, supports nearly 83,000 jobs and provides $348 million in annual tax revenues. Hugelmeyer estimates that nine out 10 companies in the outdoor industry are against the governor's proposed draft.

"You have to realize that 75 percent of the American public pursue active outdoor recreation," Hugelmeyer said. "It's critical to our companies and our customers and the people who pursue these activities to have great places. That's why they were protected.

"By protected we don't mean locked out. If there is a recreation activity already occurring in that area — whether it's mountain biking, ATVs, hunting, fishing, camping, climbing, biking, paddling — you're allowed to continue to do that."

Representatives from several companies already have signed the petition, which will be presented to the governor on Monday. They include Black Diamond of Salt Lake City, Petzl of Ogden, Mountain Hardware of California, Cloudveil of Wyoming and Timberland of New Hampshire.

Huntsman spokesman Mike Mower would not comment specifically on the draft proposal yet to be sent to the Agriculture Department, but he did say Friday that the governor welcomed the outdoor industry's input.

The governor's proposal includes a provision that "all previous inventories of roadless or unroaded lands in the National Forests be obsolete, moot and of no further legal effect," according to a synopsis draft on Huntsman's Web site.

It also requests that the forest supervisor of each national forest establish an advisory committee consisting of state and local government representatives to advise on an ongoing basis about the management of Utah's forests.

Kevin Mueller, executive director of the Utah Environmental Congress, a national forest watchdog organization based in Salt Lake City, said the governor's proposal in its current form would give counties a "greater amount of authority in saying what does and does not happen on forests."

"What Utah is asking for is complete elimination of all roadless protections," Mueller said. "The best thing for the land is for the governor to submit nothing."

E-mail: danderton@desnews.com